designing your internal communications program€¦ · web view2021. 3. 6. · effective internal...

AchieveMissionWashington, DC

Internal CommunicationsCommunication within an organization is like the human circulation system, a network of interconnected channels that link together all the disparate parts of the whole body moving needed resources throughout the whole system. Different organs (lungs, lymph nodes and heart for example) play bigger roles, but all organs need the connection to stay healthy and do their job. It’s no small matter. We literally couldn’t live without it. In fact, we dedicate nearly 10% of our physical mass to this process.

Similarly, communication in an organization is a vital system that delivers, retrieves and transfers needed information, inspiration, clarification, motivation and commendation around the organization. While much of internal communication is informal and uncontrollable, a critical portion of it is structured, intentional and carefully planned. Whatever resources you dedicate to internal communication, your approach should consist of both a statement of your purpose or desired outcomes, and a tactical plan that addresses fundamental channels in your organization.

An effective program will look different from organization to organization; however, strong programs typically share these hallmarks:

Employee communication is not an extra. It is part of business as usual and should be planned and budgeted for as such.

Communications are employee-focused and address the “what’s in it for me?” factor.

Include the “Why” - It is not enough to tell what is happening; its critical to tell people why.

Senior management sets an example and adheres to a consistent message in word & deed.

This guide addresses steps for making your internal communications an effective and intentional program that coordinates your organization from the top-down, from the core to the periphery, from frontline staff to

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leadership, from field locations into the central office, as well as communication across functions and sites.Designing your Internal Communications ProgramEffective internal communication is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Namely, internal communications fosters engagement and employee effectiveness. According to research from Gallup, 69% of employees are either not-engaged or actively disengaged, leading to decreased efficiency and turnover. Considering what the human body commits to circulation, what would committing nearly 10% of organizational resources to communication look like for your organization? What would be the benefit?

Step 1: Identify Your Target Audiences and Communication Objectives for EachOnce you reach agreement on the messages that need to be communicated, you need to determine whom these messages should reach.

AudiencesCommunicator

Audience

Communication Objective

CEO/Executive Director

Board of Directors

To keep them informed of changes in strategy and accomplishments so that they can effectively serve as ambassadors and connectors for the organization

Senior Leaders

To promote a more strategic mindset in senior leaders

Program Directors

To ensure that they understand the strategy and vision of the organization, are encouraged to speak up with ideas and concerns, and have the knowledge they need to lead their staffTo establish a culture of transparency and feedback loops

Front line staff

To ensure that they understand the strategy and vision and are encouraged to speak up with ideas and concernsTo establish a culture of transparency and

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feedback loopsSenior Leaders


To keep her/him/them informed of high-level organizational progress and issues and/or Affiliate progress and issuesTo follow through on a culture of transparency

Middle managers

To equip them with the knowledge they need to lead their staff and solve problems in their areaTo establish a culture of transparency and feedback loops

Front line staff

To ensure staff understand the strategy and vision of the organization and are encouraged to raise ideas or concernsTo establish a culture of transparency and feedback loops

Program Directors

Senior Leaders

To express their needs and concerns and those of their staff; to present the on-the-ground viewpointTo follow through on a culture of transparency


To express their needs and concerns and those of their staff; to present the on-the-ground viewpointTo follow through on a culture of transparency

Front line staff

To ensure that they have the information they need to perform their responsibilities wellTo establish a culture of transparency and feedback loops

Front line staff Program Directors

To express their needs and concerns; to share best practicesTo follow through on a culture of transparency

Senior Leaders

To present the on-the-ground viewpointTo follow through on a culture of transparency


To present the on-the-ground viewpointTo follow through on a culture of transparency

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Step 2: Determine What Needs Communicating vs. What is Being CommunicatedTo put together an effective internal communications strategy, you need to have a clear understanding of what messages should get communicated from one group to another, to consider what messages are currently getting communicated across groups, and to understand the gap between the two. Review the questions below question and consider the content, methodology, effectiveness, and measures of success:

How should information flow from the leadership down? How does it currently occur?

How should employees communicate up to managers? How do they currently communicate?

How should lateral communication occur? How does it currently occur?

Step 3: Define the Purpose & StandardsStart by setting high level expectations about what will be communicated, who is responsible for communicating it, and why the communication is happening. Take the following considerations into account when formulating your purpose and standards:

PURPOSE: It is important to be clear about the intention of your communication program. Consider: From leadership down: What do staff need to think, feel and do in

order to contribute to the organization’s success?o Are you requesting input, or simply providing a briefing?o Are you looking to inspire or motivate? o Is there something that needs to be clarified? o Do any actions need to be taken as a result?

From staff up: What information is important for leaders to hear, from the staff perspective?

o When and how should staff provide feedback, ideas, concerns, etc.?o What follow up is expected of senior leadership?

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Across departments: How can we ensure that varied departments understand and are responsive to each other’s needs?

Sample: Communications Program Purpose To create a shared culture To ensure a shared understanding of our vision, mission, values,

strategy, operating plan and environment including threats & opportunities

To provide employees with the knowledge and tools they need to be productive

To minimize conflicts, misunderstandings and wasted time via clear, accurate and up to date flows of information

To provide leaders with the feedback they need to design and lead effective programs

STANDARDS are the guidelines for your communication, they address the HOW of your program.

Sample: Communications Program Standards We will communicate the right information at the right time1

We will tailor our approach to make the message relevant for the intended audience.

We will use a variety of media. We will provide many opportunities for communication from staff up to

leadership and across departments, in addition to communication from the leadership down

Our communication plan, in order to maintain quality, solicits feedback on its effectiveness.

Step 4: Name your Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources What are the roles and responsibilities of senior leaders, managers, other

employees and communication professionals? 1 About transparency: Though organizations want to share decisions and the status of initiatives, there are legal, financial, and human resources matters that cannot and should not be shared broadly. Share what you can while being mindful of these limitations.5AchieveMission.org


Who is responsible for internal communication and closing the gap of what we want for the future, and what we’ve got today?

What do we need to do differently than what we’re doing today? What resources do we need?

Step 5: Understand your Communication Vehicles and their Best UsesType Vehicle Advantages DisadvantagesMass Communications

o Intranet announcements, master calendar

o Director’s emails

o Staff newsletter

o Quality Reports

o National website

o Annual reporto Org.

Newsletter

o Cost-effectiveo Efficiently

communicates routine change

o Allows the organization to reach a large audience quickly

o Impersonalo Staff may not

read these communications

o Does not easily facilitate an environment in which recipients can ask questions or supply feedback

Interactive Communications(Virtual)

o Conference calls

o Instant Messaging

o Group Meetings

o Intranet Discussion Boards

o Social media

o Enables dispersed staff to connect with leaders/ subject matter expertise

o Staff can ask questions-give immediate feedback

o Requires more time than mass communication

o Impersonal compared to face to face /room for misinterpretation

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o Saves travel expense

Face to Face Communications

o Group Meetings

o Information Sessions

o Informal gatherings

o Enables leaders to connect with staff; reinforce key message

o Staff can ask questions-give immediate feedback

o Allows staff to get information from direct supervisors, more likely to trust information

o Time consumingo Ineffective for

reaching staff in virtual/separate locations

o Leadership presence may discourage staff from expressing concerns

o Can be inappropriately timed and with too much detail, cause confusion

*Based on Corporate Executive Board “Identifying Most Effective Communication Channels”

Step 6: Measure, Solicit Feedback, Reflect and ReviseIn addition to determining the communication strategy and approach, senior management should set metrics by which the communications strategy can be evaluated and improved. These metrics should be tied to the purpose and intended result of the communication. For example, if a series of communications are related to a new initiative and the intended result is that staff at all levels will be able to understand and clearly communicate the purpose and importance of the initiative, the communication strategy can be evaluated via a pre- and post- survey that asks staff to rate their level of understanding through a Likert scale and also asks them to describe the initiative in an open-ended question.

In response to quantitative and qualitative feedback, your internal communications program will evolve. Over time this will lead you closer and closer to meeting the goals of your program with better messages, better timing, better vehicles, and better use of your resources.7AchieveMission.org


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Internal Communication Matrix – Sample OrganizationThe internal communication strategy needs to address communication from the senior management to front line staff (“top-down”), from staff to senior management (“bottom-up”), across departments and from the senior management to the board. The content communicated and the media used should suit the communicator and the audience. The tables below addresses the possible strategy for each direction.

From the Top, Down & from Core to PeripheryWhile communication from the top down is an important avenue, it is not the only pathway for communication. It complements communication from the staff up to the leadership and across departments. This type of communication requires the senior leaders to be aligned on the message, and coordinated and disciplined in getting the message to their teams. In addition, research by the Corporate Leadership Council shows that leadership’s words and actions need to be consistent in order for staff to truly buy-in to the message.2

Communicator and Audience

Purpose (key result(s) aimed at)

Initiatives/ Vehicles

Content Timing Measures of Success and Instrument

CommunicatorSenior leaders; middle/line

1. Build a culture of transparency where

Internal newsletter,

Overall contentLeadership updates staff on

Suggestednewsletter is

Measures % of staff reporting that they trust

what the organization tells them Anecdotal comments about

2 Corporate Leadership Council. “CEO Communication Strategies.” Catalog No.: CLC1L85N9. March 2002.9AchieveMission.org






managers (communicates message directly to their teams)

AudienceFront line staff (sometimes just middle managers)

leaders set the example

conference calls, intranet

strategic decisions, progress on initiatives, etc.; what feedback/involvement is needed and how to do it

monthly; conference calls are quarterly; intranet updated at least quarterly

transparency

InstrumentsStaff survey

2. All employees understand the strategy and any resulting changes to policy/

Overall Content Strategy and policy updates, why they’re needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed and

Overall Timing At least quarterly

Overall Measure and InstrumentMeasure % of employees reporting that they understand the strategyInstrument: All-staff survey

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tactics.

next stepsConference call (suggested CEO/ED joins two calls a year)

Strategy and policy updates, why they’re needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed and next steps

Quarterly Measures % staff attending call% staff reporting understanding the strategy better after a call

InstrumentsRecords of call attendanceStaff survey

Newsletter Strategy and policy updates, why they’re needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed and next steps

SuggestedMonthly

Measures% staff opening the email % staff reporting understanding strategy better after reading newsletter Instruments:Email analyticsStaff survey

Intranet Strategy and policy updates,

Suggested

Measures% staff reading the webpage







why they’re needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed and next steps

Update regularly (at least quarterly)

% staff reporting understanding strategy better after reading intranetInstrumentsWeb analyticsStaff survey

3. All employees understand best practices and knowledge shared by Executive team

Newsletter What the best practices are, how they will help you, how to do it

Quarterly Measures:% of staff opening the email % staff reporting that they applied best practices read in newsletterInstrumentsEmail analyticsStaff survey

Directors’ official emails

What the best practices are, how they will help you, how to do it

As needed, less of a priority than newsletter

Measures% staff opening the email % staff reporting that they applied best practices read in emails Instruments:Email analyticsStaff survey







Intranet What the best practices are, how they will help you, how to do it

SuggestedUpdate regularly (at least quarterly)

Measures% staff reading the webpage % staff reporting that they applied best practices read on intranet

InstrumentsWeb analyticsStaff survey

4. Employees feel great about working here and understand the importance of their role and daily work

Suggestion:Focus on newsletter as primary vehicle for this purpose

Celebrate general staff achievements, targeted success stories

According to the timing of each particular vehicle

Measures% of staff reporting that they understand the importance of their role to the organization% staff reporting that they are proud to work here/would recommend a friend Anecdotal comments about pride in org

InstrumentsStaff surveyAnecdotal







5. All employees feel up-to-date on work happening at central office and across branches/ affiliates

Conference call (suggested: CEO/ED joins two calls a year)

Accomplishments/updates, why it’s needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement requested & next steps

Monthly Measures% of staff attending call% of staff reporting understanding the strategy better after a callInstruments:Records of call attendanceStaff survey

Newsletter accomplishments/updates, why it’s needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed & next steps

SuggestedMonthly

Measures% of staff opening the email % staff reporting that they applied best practices read in newsletterInstrumentsEmail analyticsStaff survey

Directors’ official emails (and/or

Accomplishments/updates, why it’s needed, what’s in it for

As needed, less of a priority

Measures% of staff opening the email % of staff reporting that they applied best practices that they read in emails







email from central office sent by comms staff)

you, feedback/ involvement needed & next steps

than newsletter

to their work

InstrumentsEmail analyticsStaff survey

Intranet Accomplishments/updates, why it’s needed, what’s in it for you, feedback/ involvement needed & next steps

Suggested: regularly (at least quarterly)

Measures% of staff that read the webpage % staff reporting that they applied best practices that read on intranet InstrumentsWeb analyticsStaff survey



From the Outside In and from the Bottom UpCommunication is a two-way process. Employee feedback and opinions should be actively sought. However, savvy (or simply fearful) employees may speak up only about the things they think their managers want to hear. "Pick your battles" aptly describes what many employees feel. In research at the Harvard Business School, 42% of respondents who said they spoke up one or more times in the past year about work problems, or offered ideas, also said they withheld them on other occasions because they thought it would be "a waste of time to speak up," or because they feared personal consequences. Among those who said they spoke up six or more times, nearly 32% said they had also withheld information on other occasions. 3


Purpose Initiatives/ Vehicles


Communicator Staff (front line staff, including program managers &

Senior management understands and responds to

See below Overall Includes ideas, questions, concerns related to

Various, but regular

Overall Measure Staff concerns, ideas, and needs are addressed Overall Instruments Initiative incorporates staff input

3 “Good Communication Goes Beyond Open Door Policies” blog post on 9:30 AM Monday May 24, 2010, by James R. Detert, Ethan R. Burris, and David A. Harrison




Purpose Initiatives/ Vehicles


middle managers)

AudienceSenior managers

staff needs, ideas, concerns and Staff feels empowered to be transparent about needs and concerns

how specific roles are affected, feedback and suggestions

Staff surveys (questions on whether management has effectively addressed/ incorporated their input

Staff survey Email All-staff meetings Team meetings Coffee with ED/other leader Manager meetings Corridor/ lunch conversations Social media (Facebook)

Regular feedback

Various, but regular

Measure% of staff aware of the

opportunities to provide input% staff utilizing input

methods Qualitative measures of staff

openness in inputInstrument Statistics on staff participation in different vehicles Staff survey

Across Functions and Sites – Using Meetings EffectivelyAccording to employee surveys conducted by Discovery Surveys in 80 organizations, two out of every three employees believes that the flow of communication between departments within their organization 17AchieveMission.org


is poor.4 Often, poor communication results from a lack of infrastructure and established practices for inter-departmental communication, the perception that it takes too much time or that other departments are too distant or different, or cultural issues of mistrust between departments. Communication across departments occurs most effectively when the organization provides infrastructure and guided channels for intentional and regular communication between departments and when departments: 1. Determine what information needs to be shared with other departments (i.e. not everything is essential for sharing, prioritizing is key); 2. Proactively provide information to other departments, instead of only asking for information or waiting to be asked. For organizations with cultural divides between departments, team-building with department heads and job rotation for employees across departments can help to break down silos. In terms of vehicles, communication most effectively travels through meetings with attendees from multiple functions, rather than emails.


Purpose Content Initiatives/Vehicles

Indicators or Measures of Success

CommunicatorManagers, in some cases line managers and front line staff

Sites have information from peers that they need in order to incorporate

Lessons learned, relevant updates, advice, informatio

Below Overall Measure Constituents receive service that is consistent and efficient because each shares relevant information with each otherOverall Instruments Formal and informal feedback from constituents Staff surveys

4 Katcher, Bruce, PhD. “How to Improve Inter-departmental Communication.” Discovery Surveys, Inc. 2012.18AchieveMission.org





AudienceExecutive Directors, Program Directors, front line staff

strategy into their work; Affiliates are transparent with one another and willing to share information

n that affects multiple Affiliates/ Sites/ Branches

Conference calls

Measure% of Affiliates attending conference calls% EDs/PDs reporting meetings are effective for sharing

informationInstruments Records of meeting attendance ED/PD feedback (formal or informal)

Intranet Measure Accuracy of information on intranet (current & correct)% of staff accessing the intranet% staff reporting that intranet is usefulInstrumentsCheck intranet with departmentsWeb analyticsStaff surveys

newsletter Measure Frequency of newsletter% of Affiliates contributing to newsletter% staff opening newsletter% staff reporting that newsletter is usefulInstruments






Email analytics Staff surveys



SAMPLE: Meetings Plan for Communication Across FunctionsExecutive Directors/Program Directors Conference Calls Purpose: Share relevant information (e.g., key updates, program

victories, new initiatives, etc.); promote alignment and integration across affiliates; build sense of team and unity

Owner: Executive VP Attendees: All Executive Directors and Program Directors Frequency/length: Monthly, 45 minutes

Program Coordination Team Purpose: Coordinate day-to-day work between central office and

Affiliates; discuss key programmatic questions (e.g., strategy, direction, resource allocation) and either make decisions or inform decision-making

Owner: Chief Academic Officer Attendees: Executive Directors, central program department staff, Dir.

Continuous Improvement Frequency/length: regular group meets once a week; ad hoc meetings

with others as needed Operations Team Purpose: Discuss key administrative questions, finances and budget,

communications, and relevant policies and procedures and either make decisions or inform decision-making

Owner: Executive VP Attendees: Dir. of HR, Dir. of Finance, Communications Manager Frequency: Every six weeks, 60 minutes

Leadership Team Purpose: Establish clear direction and review progress on organizational

priorities and goals Owner: CEO/ED Attendees: all direct reports to the CEO/ED



Frequency: Every month, 3 hours, every other month in person, semi-annual two day retreats

Appendix A: Sample Communication PlanThe table below shows how an organization may plan and manage its internal communications. Not every organization should do these same things; instead, choose the ones that best fit your strategy and culture. You may also want to take into account other logistical considerations like geography (i.e. planning virtual meetings or other communications if you have multiple locations), or working hours (if you have staff who do not overlap in time). You should also preface this plan matrix with a statement that outlines the goals of your communication plan (your internal communications philosophy).

Routine Communications The internal newsletter is sent monthly to employees, front line staff

are the primary audience. o Three topics are always addressed:

Progress highlights on ongoing or long-term projects, such as the scorecard

Staff and Affiliate profiles, celebrating the accomplishments of those that are doing particularly great work and setting a positive example, with a specific focus on front line staff

Arrivals and Departures, that lists new hires and says goodbye to departing staff (departing staff included here should be tactfully selected, possibly based on tenure, good standing, reason for departure).

o Special sections for particular audiences, e.g. bimonthly special section for counselors/librarians/other specific roles, with advice and content that relates directly to their daily work. Content should answer, “What are staff looking for from their job? What support is needed?”



o Tasks or actions that need to be undertaken by staff, such as filling out time sheets or AmeriCorps reports, or providing feedback on pilot projects

o Resource updates like a new function in the organization’s database, or links to resources.

o Note from the CEO/ED to demonstrate high-level buy-in (quarterly).o Creation: The email is generated by the Communications Manager,

with contributions/background information/leads from other senior leaders as needed

o Dissemination: The Communications Manager sends the email (in its standard branded format, via email marketing software) to all staff

Quarterly Note from CEO/ED included in the newsletter. The CEO/ED works with their assistant to write the email. The Communications Manager reviews it before dissemination. While the CEO determines the content, typical material includes:o Any personal/professional reflections the CEO has had related to their

work over the past month. For example, they might provide a description of a visit they made to program center or talk about an interesting conversation with a donor

o Recognition of staff accomplishmentso Updates on major new projects.

Monthly Meetings are held in each regional office and at HQ Quarterly Meetings, facilitated by senior leadership, share progress,

developments, and other important information via webinar with all regular full time staff (site, regional, national staff).

Management Summits: 2-3 times a year management gathers for off-site meetings. Outcomes of these meetings are shared with all staff by the president via memo or webinar.

Annual Staff Gatherings: 2-3 day timed to dovetail with rolling out operating plans for the following year. The CEO/ED to gives their personal take on the organization’s current situation, their hopes for the forthcoming year, and imprint on others directly their take on the organization’s values. It is also an opportunity for team-building and getting geared up for the year ahead.



Unplanned CommunicationsThe organization has a strategy for communication of unexpected or significant developments. Such developments might include the hiring of a new senior staff member, a crisis at one of the program sites, the decision to close a program, or the awarding of a new grant that allows for expansion of program delivery.

Guiding Principles for Unplanned Communications Audience Focus: Aim to answer the employee’s question, “What’s this mean for me?” Transparency: Provide as much information as possible (and appropriate) and be up front about information that is not available or questions that cannot be answered at this time, due to limited information Timeliness: Convey the information as quickly as possible to employees, and ensure that communication to all employees happens at the same time

Process Map This is a sample sequence of actions needed to implement an internal communications strategy.Step Responsible

PartyAssemble Internal Communications Project Plan Project Leader, with

input from ChampionSchedule Kickoff Meeting Project LeaderShare Internal Communications readings with the Team

Project Champion

Kickoff Meeting (Goals: Ensure the team understands why we are working on this, what success looks like, and what their roles are)

Project Leader, with support from Champion

Perform Gap Analysis on current internal communications processes (if time allows, may be part of Kickoff Meeting)

Project Team

Formulate the Internal Communications philosophy Project Team24AchieveMission.org


Get feedback from the Executive team on the philosophy

Project Champion

Finalize the philosophy Project Lead and Champion

Revise the Internal Communications Plan Matrix (see above draft)

Project Team

Get feedback from the Executive team on the plan matrix

Project Champion

Finalize the matrix Project Lead and Champion

Create the activity plan to carry out actions described in the matrix

Project Team

Announce new internal communications plan ChampionSocialize the new internal communications plan Project TeamEnsure that internal communications plan is being followed

Project Team, led by Project Lead & Champion

Check back on desired outcome and adjust as needed

Project Team


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